STUDENT INTRO: This week, School of Thought is pleased to offer a submission from local high school junior Kaylynn. Kaylynn is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, and a member of the Wood County Technical Center’s student council. When Kaylynn isn’t busy with schoolwork, she spends her summer earning money as a babysitter, and enjoys being outdoors in the sunshine, and reading.

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Should books be banned because one person, a small group of people, or a parent/parental group disagrees with the ideas and themes presented in them? With the intention of sparking ideas and provoking different views, authors write and publish books. “The First Amendment protects citizens against censorship by the government, but not by private citizens or organizations” (Publish Your Purpose). Small organizations like Moms for Liberty, No Left Turn in Education, and Mass Resistance are challenging books they deem inappropriate. These small organizations work around the First Amendment in order to execute their agendas.

The American Library Association works to fight against the banning of books. Books are challenged or banned due to the content and themes presented in the books. Books that include violence, sexual content, strong language, or lack literary merit are challenged because they are not suitable for young readers (Book Banning). “It Ends with Us,” by Colleen Hoover, contains strong themes and content but is recommended for older readers. Since parents are not paying attention to the books their children choose to read, organizations attempt to ban books with explicit themes that are not recommended for young children. When parents discover the content of the books, they take it upon themselves to try and “right their wrongs” so to say. Their solution is banning books. Hoover, a number 1 New York Times best-selling author, has had a few of her books challenged or banned. “It Ends with Us” is one of many books that have been challenged. This book is recommended for ages 17 and up. Young adults tend to grab this book, but it is common for younger readers to be intrigued by Lily’s story. The book has some graphic details that young viewers might be uncomfortable reading. The recurring themes throughout this book include jealousy, domestic violence, strong language, abuse, generational cycles, suggestive language, sexual content, and rape.

Due to these themes, the previously mentioned groups and individuals fear their children getting ahold of books like “It Ends with Us.” Rather than simply limiting the books their own children have access to, they try to be the “firemen” of our society. These same groups and individuals take the books away and call that protection, but what is it really protecting children from? New ideas? The ability to know what is acceptable in a relationship and what is not? What to do in violent situations?

How does banning a book solve a problem that exists and occurs in everyday life? Taking books away is not going to stop readers from hearing or seeing things they should not when they are happening daily right in front of their faces. The things they are prone to see happen every day all around them. Parents can choose what they allow THEIR children to read. They do not however, have the right to control other parents’ children. By attempting to ban books, parents, pro-censorship groups, and individuals do just that– take away the freedom of choosing what we delve in.

My parents, at a distance, monitor the things I was/am allowed to watch and read. If my parents do not agree with certain shows or movies, they ask me to stop watching them and give me a reason. They do not call Netflix and tell them to ban a show because their 17-year-old daughter should not be watching it. That takes the content away from those who are allowed to watch them and even adults that it would be appropriate for. Those that are pro-censorship believe this is the best way of protecting children, but what it accomplishes is censoring their abilities to choose for themselves.

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(EDITOR’S NOTE: The author’s last name has been omitted as a precaution at the request of her teacher.)